How Chichester and Bognor Regis areas celebrated the Queen’s Silver Jubilee in 1977
By Elaine Hammond
Published 22nd Mar 2022, 17:52 BST
Updated 22nd Mar 2022, 17:57 BST
Our Queen succeeded to the throne on February 6, 1952, after the death of her father, King George VI, though her coronation did not take place until June 2, 1953. The first of the Queen’s major milestones was her Silver Jubilee in June 1977, which was celebrated with great aplomb. Little did the country know that she would eventually become our longest-serving monarch, the first to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee.
More than 400 students from Felpham Comprehensive School were given time off to take part in the national Keep Britain Tidy week ahead of the 1977 celebrations and West Sussex was eventually awarded first place in the Campaign for a Cleaner Town and Countryside. Some students went down to the beach at Bognor Regis to work but others had to make do with cleaning up the school campus, as there were so many volunteers taking part, there simply was not room for more.
The bells rang out at Chichester Cathedral and more than 40 street and village parties, fetes and sports events were arranged in the Observer area, with pageants and fancy dress competitions popular, alongside tug of war competitions, Punch and Judy shows, tree planting, parades, country dancing, gymkhanas and dog shows.
Patriotic dress at a Silver Jubilee party in West Dean Photo: West Sussex Record Office
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Felpham Comprehensive School pupils get to work cleaning the beach at Bognor Regis ahead of the Silver Jubilee in 1977 Photo: West Sussex Record Office
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The winning certificate from the 1977 Campaign for a Cleaner Town and Countryside Photo: West Sussex Record Office
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The programme for Felpham's Day at the Sea celebrations, which sadly had to be cancelled due to the weather Photo: West Sussex Record Office